8 Reasons Orcas Don't Belong at SeaWorld

1. Premature Deaths Orcas in the wild have an average life expectancy of 30 to 50 years—their estimated maximum lifespan is 60 to 70 years for males and 80 to over 100 for females. The median age of orcas in captivity is only 9, and orcas at SeaWorld rarely make it even to the average life expectancy of their wild cousins. 2. In the wild, despite centuries of sharing the ocean, there has been only a single reliable report of an orca harming a human being. 3. All captive adult male orcas have collapsed dorsal fins, likely because they haveno space in which to swim freely and are fed an unnatural diet of thawed dead fish. 4. SeaWorld confines whales who often swim up to 100 miles a day in the wild to tanks that, to them, are the size of a bathtub. 5. Orcas who are not compatible are forced to live in tight quarters together. Nakai was injured on a sharp metal edge in his tank while reportedly fleeing from an aggressive altercation with two other orcas. 6. 7. 8.

Killer Whales (Orcas), Killer Whale Pictures, Killer Whale Facts Orcas, or killer whales, are the largest of the dolphins and one of the world's most powerful predators. They feast on marine mammals such as seals, sea lions, and even whales, employing teeth that can be four inches (ten centimeters) long. They are known to grab seals right off the ice. They also eat fish, squid, and seabirds. Though they often frequent cold, coastal waters, orcas can be found from the polar regions to the Equator. Killer whales hunt in deadly pods, family groups of up to 40 individuals. Whales make a wide variety of communicative sounds, and each pod has distinctive noises that its members will recognize even at a distance. Killer whales are protective of their young, and other adolescent females often assist the mother in caring for them. Orcas are immediately recognizable by their distinctive black-and-white coloring and are the intelligent, trainable stars of many aquarium shows.

National Marine Mammal Laboratory What is taxonomy? Though killer whales, also called orcas, are considered whales by most people, they are actually members of the Delphinidae (dolphin) family. Killer whales are excellent hunters that a wide range of prey, including fish, seals, and big whales such as blue whales. Despite their hunting of other animals, free-ranging killer whales have never been reported killing a human being. Interesting Facts: Killer whales are social animals that live in stable family-related groups. What should I know about killer whales? Where do killer whales live? Killer whales can be found in all oceans but they seem to prefer coastal waters and cooler regions. Resident pods: remain stable over time Transient pods: dynamic in structure (are constantly changing) Offshore pods: Are seen only in outer coast waters and not much else is known of them. How many killer whales are there? There are no official killer whale worldwide population estimates. How can I identify a killer whale? Books Go back.